Maryland — The Old Line State
A Riverdale Park program advertises completion in just 19 days. Tribute Home Care runs a free 4-week CNA school in Baltimore with a guaranteed job on completion. Maryland has a unique two-tier system — CNA and GNA are separate credentials, and most employers require GNA.
Maryland has some standout speed options concentrated in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. A state-approved program in Riverdale Park advertises full completion in just 19 days, and Howard Community College's full-time accelerated track — online theory, in-person skills lab, weekday clinical rotation — finishes in 5 weeks. Heritage Care's free 108-hour program wraps up in just 3 weeks.
Maryland requires at least 100 training hours through an MBON-approved program, though most run 130–150 hours because they prepare you for both CNA and GNA content together. There's one detail that trips up nearly every Maryland candidate: CNA and GNA are separate credentials. CNA certification itself does not require passing an exam — but most employers, especially nursing homes, require the GNA (Geriatric Nursing Assistant) credential, which does require passing the NNAAP exam through Credentia ($130 fee, within 12 months of your CNA program completion).
Use our verified school locator below to instantly find MBON-approved CNA/GNA programs starting near your zip code — across Baltimore, the DC suburbs, and the rest of Maryland.
Maryland issues two separate nursing assistant credentials. CNA certification does not require passing an exam — you complete an MBON-approved training program and you're certified. GNA (Geriatric Nursing Assistant) builds on top of CNA and requires passing the NNAAP exam through Credentia: a 70-question written test (60 content + 10 reading comprehension, 2-hour limit, oral option available with 160 questions) plus a skills test. Most employers — especially nursing homes — require GNA, not just CNA. If a job posting says "CNA/GNA required," budget for both the training program and the $130 Credentia exam fee before you start applying.
Speed comparison
Maryland's Baltimore-Washington corridor is dense with training options. From a 19-day accelerated program to free employer-sponsored tracks, here are Maryland's fastest CNA/GNA programs ranked by speed.
| Program / School | Location | Speed | Cost | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Nursing Assistant Academy | Riverdale Park | ⚡ 19 days (fastest in MD) | Contact for tuition + fees | State-approved classroom, skills lab, and clinical training. Job placement help and evening classes available. |
| Heritage Care | Maryland (multiple locations) | 3 weeks — 108 hours | FREE through grants and sponsorships | Maryland Board of Nursing–certified CNA/GNA training. Day or evening schedules available. |
| Tribute Home Care | Baltimore | 4 weeks | FREE + guaranteed full-time job | MBON-approved. Covers all course fees and materials. Graduates offered a guaranteed salaried caregiver position with benefits. |
| Howard Community College | Columbia | 5 weeks — full-time accelerated | Financial aid available | Online theory, in-person skills lab, weekday clinical rotation. 100 hours theory + 45 hours clinical. |
| Lorien Health Care Academy | Statewide Lorien facilities | Earn-while-you-learn — flexible | FREE — tuition paid upfront by employer | On-the-job training at Lorien facilities. Company pays tuition upfront for employees pursuing GNA and other credentials. |
| Cambridge Nursing Assistant Academy | Eastern Shore | Accelerated — free program | FREE + financial aid available | Classroom, lab, and clinical rotations. Job placement help. Evening and weekend classes. |
Tribute Home Care's Baltimore program is free, covers all course fees and materials, and guarantees graduates a full-time salaried caregiver position with benefits on completion — one of the strongest speed-plus-security combinations in the state. If you're near Baltimore and want a direct path from training to a stable job offer, this is the program to start with.
If you already hold active CNA certification from Virginia, DC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or West Virginia and plan to work in Maryland, your home-state certification does not carry over automatically. You'll need to apply for MBON endorsement — a completed application (current form dated April 1, 2026), copy of your active out-of-state certification, fingerprint-based background check, and a $20 fee. If a facility requires GNA for nursing home employment, you may still need to complete the Credentia exam even after endorsement.
2026 salary data
Maryland CNAs earn roughly $15–$19/hr on average (approximately $31,000–$39,500/year), with the Baltimore-Washington corridor pulling wages toward the higher end of that range. Maryland employs approximately 88,000 registered nurse aides statewide.
| City / Area | Avg Hourly | Avg Annual | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $16–$19/hr | ~$33,280–$39,520 | Largest concentration of CNA/GNA jobs in the state. Home to Tribute Home Care and multiple free programs. |
| Silver Spring / DC suburbs | $17–$20/hr | ~$35,360–$41,600 | Proximity to DC pushes wages higher. Dense concentration of private training schools. |
| Columbia / Howard County | $16–$19/hr | ~$33,280–$39,520 | Home to Howard Community College's 5-week accelerated track. |
| Frederick / Hagerstown | $15–$18/hr | ~$31,200–$37,440 | Western Maryland corridor with community college hybrid program options. |
| Statewide average | ~$19/hr | ~$39,520 | 88,000 registered nurse aides statewide; nearly 50% work in nursing care facilities. |
Sources: TopNursing.org Maryland (2026), CNAOnlineCourse.com, TheCNAGuide.com, BLS. Maryland's high cost of living in the DC/Baltimore corridor should be weighed against its above-average CNA pay. Actual pay varies by facility, shift, and experience.
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Financial aid & free options
Your next step
Maryland LPN programs are available through community colleges statewide, and your CNA/GNA clinical experience gives you a strong head start. Because Maryland is a full NLC compact state — and was the first state to ever sign the compact into law — an LPN license earned here carries multistate practice privileges across 43 jurisdictions.
100 hours minimum (most run 130–150). CNA needs no exam; GNA requires the Credentia NNAAP exam ($130). Maryland Nurse Aide Registry via MBON. As fast as 19 days.
Community College of Baltimore County, Howard Community College, and other MD community colleges. ~12 months. Maryland's NLC membership means multistate practice rights on graduation.
University of Maryland School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and numerous ADN bridge programs statewide. Maryland's compact license carries across 43 NLC jurisdictions.
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